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Posted By: runscott

If someone who plans to bid but can't afford the entire lot, contacts others in like situation, that type of collusion would help the seller. I personally nabbed a card that way and would have no qualms about doing it again.

But the type of collusion where several people who all planned to bid, get together and agree to have one person bid for all, then split up the winnings, is not good for the consignor, who in many cases might be a buddy of yours, or the auction house. And I do think that it is similar, if not just as bad, as shill bidding. As far as the "but one is legal, the other isn't" argument, that doesn't change the ethical nature of either.